Authorities said a mother on Sarah Street reported that her 16-year-old son was missing and possibly abducted. When police arrived, they found 10 bullet casings near the corner of Sarah Street and 14th Avenue.

"I can tell you this, there was what appeared to be a gun battle. We recovered casings at two ends of the street," said Homestead Police Chief Jeff DeSimone.

It's unclear if the gun battle broke out as the alleged abduction of the teen was taking place, but police said the car of the boy's father was hit by bullets.

But before long, an informant tipped off the local FBI office that the suspects and the missing teen were inside the Ninth Avenue apartment complex. SWAT surrounded the building, and residents were evacuated into the bitter cold.

"I've been out here for three hours, and they're saying just go to the store. Well, I want to go home," said resident Patty Karhut.

Authorities said SWAT members checked each of the dozen or so apartments, and they found signs that the complex is where the 16-year-old may have been beaten.

"They did find blood and signs of someone assaulted at that building," said DeSimone.

DeSimone said the teen was found without shoes and beaten severely inside a home on 15th Avenue.

The teen was taken to a hospital, police said, and the investigation is ongoing.

Detectives said they are working a possible motive that the suspects were angry about a stolen gun. Police said the people behind the abduction may have wanted that gun back or hundreds of dollars in cash in exchange for the abducted teen.